Kellen Moore #11 of the Boise State Broncos reacts after a touchdown against the Georgia Bulldogs at Georgia Dome on September 3, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Boise State’s football program will see a reduction in football scholarships from the 2011 to the 2013 athletic seasons for improperly housing prospective student-athletes from the summers of 2005-09. The football program was cited for violating NCAA bylaws 13.2.1, 13.2.1.1 and 13.5.1 which involve recruiting violations, impermissible housing and transportation. Boise State will see a reduction from 85 to 82 scholarships until the 2013-14 academic year.
But that isn’t even the biggest story going around on the Boise State campus. Apparently the tennis and track programs wanted in on the NCAA infractions party as the school was cited for multiple violations in five sports involving more than 75 prospects and student-athletes from January 2005 to October 2010, the NCAA announced today by the Division I Committee on Infractions.
The rule-breaking included multiple recruiting violations, impermissible lodging, transportation, practice sessions, financial aid and cash payments with the worst offenders coming from the women’s tennis and track and field.
As a result, the University will pay a $5,000 fine, incurred scholarship reductions, vacation of records, a one-year postseason ban for women’s tennis, recruiting restrictions and three years of probation.
If you have the time, you should read through the NCAA’s full report which includes a track and field student who took groceries and clothes. But the kicker is this, the student hadn’t received certification from the NCAA’s Eligibility Center and could not receive aid. This kid had $30 in his or her pocket and two pair of jeans and two shirts.
But let’s slap the wrist of the coaches who arranged for the kid to eat and get clothing. Yep, I’m still trying to make sense of that.
